St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-19
A SNAKE-DAhCE.
The Horrible, Savage Festival in Vogue
Among the Moqui Indians.
A BLOOD CURDLING SCENE
Scenes That Rival Millions Description
Of the Internal Regions Men Masked
in Writing Serpants.

The "Most Ancient Order of Snakes"
an organization that dates back long
prior to the coming of the Moqui In
dians to the villages now occupied by
them, have recently had their festival.
1t seems that this feast is not one per-
tanning to religious worship, says a
writer in the Apache County (Ariz.)
Critic, but is wholly public demonstra-
ton of mysterious order, similar in its
secrets to Masonry or Odd Fellowship.
The participants were composed of
two bodies of men, thirty-six of whom
danced with the snakes, and smaller
number who formed a chorus of singing
men. These latter latter were the first to
come upon the scene, and were dressed
in bright-cOlOred embroidered kits.
sashes, ankletS, and with beauti-
fully tanned yellow fOXskins hung
ing down behind the body, bearing
small fiat rattles in one hand. while
confined in the grasp of the other was
held stick, to which were fastened a
couple of turkey feathers. This stick,
they claim, carries the necessary pro-
lection of ones life and let's the snakes
tutelary god know that none of his
progeny will be injured or carried to
remote lands.
These men made four or five circuits
of the small plaza, and then took up
position to the west side of it, leaving
the cottonwood shade in the center of
their line. After they had arranged
themselves properly, i'll state of extra
ordinary exultation, the snake-men
came marching with tremendous energy,
as though inspired to bound across the
entire mesa at single stride. This
motion adds greatly to the impressive
ness of the serious scene, and thrills the
spectator to an excited state of mind for
the ensuing act.
These dancing men, like their prede-
ceSSOrS, made four circuits around the
same rock, which stands near the center
of the plaza, halting to face the chorus
where, as on the day before, a song was
gone through with. The snake
men were formed into groups of
three each, and now an Individual from
each group went into the cottonwood
shade and extracted snake from one
of the bags and, after putting it into his
mouth and firmly fixing it there by the
teeth, started on his round.
His companion. with an arm around
his neck. Kept the tail of the snake in
position, while with the right, in which
a
ers attached, he held the serpent away
from becoming tangled i'm the hair
of his friend. The snake, after
being carried around the circle, is
thrown from the mouth, when the third
member of the group gathers his snake
ship up and carries him the balance of
the dance, occasionally, however, giving
the dancing men some to hold. which
they do in rather modest manner.
Smiles are brought upon the visages
of many of the spectators at the sad
plight others are put i'll by the serpentS
every once in awhile making bold
daShes for liberty, scattering the crowd
i'll all directions, yet to be brought back
captiveS and held more securely by
the singers. Two or three instances
were noticed of the large bull-snake
being held by the neck, but throwing
his long, prehensile body around the
leg thus securing himself from imagi-
native dangers. One instance in par
ticular, where the snake was longer by
fully two feet than the small boy who
held it, and twisted itself around first
one leg and then the other in such a
manner that to move was to fall.
The predicament of the urchin called
forth grand Outburst of merriment.
Yet it looked anything but funny to the
boy. How many snakes were on hand
would be hard to tell, yet serpentS were
plenty and seemed to be in excellent
condition, to judge from the manner in
which they resisted recapture after hav-
ing been dropped from the mouth. but
there were at least $50.
Those who danced with the snakes not
infreQuently had three or four at the
same time in the mouth, which, of all
the performances. was the most repul-
Sive. To see human being going the
rounds with his entire face hidden
behind the snakes, not feature visible,
was something to make the shoulders
creep up ones back. which it did,
Yet there were sounds of applause from
the natives gathered around, urging the
dancers to attempt greater featS, such as
taking two of the largest rattlerS in the
mouth at once, and in one instance a
dancer held many snakes in his mouth,
which twined around his face in a hid
eOus mask, as if his head had been
transformed into that of the tabled
GOrgOn.
That the performers are thoroughly
dOctOred or medicated prior to the COM
mencement of the ceremonies there can
be no doubt. The eyes and the ecstatic
bearing of the bodies attracts attention
at once; there is peculiar luSter in the
OrbS, and an abnormal elasticity in the
movement of the body.
The reaction after the dance is re-
markable, and while no serious or last
ing effects follow, still they are left in a
very weak state, requiring many hours
of sleep to fully restore them to their
normal condition.